Once Upon a Midnight Sleepwalk
by Drenn
Summary: AU. The Claymore Academy is a prestigious private boarding academy. The students are selected from thousands of applicants to succeed. But of course all this seriousness doesn't stop the Claymore from getting into trouble, shenanigans, and drama. H/D
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**AU :D**

**Alright this story is loosily based off of Eva St Clare's AU Claymore Academy series of story. Check it out here. Deviant art****. com/art/Claymore-Academy-AU-Notes-78065323**

**The Pieta wing consists of the first generation of Claymore's, Clare's generation.**

**The East wing consists of the second generation of Claymore's, Clarice's generation.**

**The West wind consists of the Awaken Beings, Teressa's generation, and the male dormitories. This is also where the top students get to room (Mainly single digits, but sometimes just teacher favorites). In general it has better dorms.**

**Upperclassmen (Ranks 20 and below) Get to have their own rooms. (Jean, Miria, Deneve, ect.) Underclassmen (Rank 21 and above) have a roommate.**

**Denev is a nickname for Deneve, not a misspelling.**

**This was a one shot that I have already published in a one shot collection that I am now expanding.**

_"Run!" Clare screamed at Helen._

_"But-" Helen protested as she made to stand her ground against the Awakened Being that was rapidly closing the distance between the two Ghosts and it. Behind it they knew were some hundred more, it was like Pieta all over again._

_"We don't have time! You need to get the message to Miria-nee-san before the other Awakened beings catch up." Clare pushed Helen aside and drew her two Claymores._

_"I'm not going to leave you behind." Helen grabbed the hilt of her sword._

_"No, save the others. Please, Helen." Clare pleaded. "Run, Helen, run!"_

_Grimily Helen nodded and turned her back on Clare, releasing her youki Helen began sprinting towards Miria's group-_

-And ran into a wall.

"Huh?" Helen looked around in confusion. "Where am I?" Cautiously Helen stood on her feet as she looked around at dimly lit yet an eerily familiar room. "Oh no." She sighed. "I must have been sleep walking again. And what a funny dream. Running around with swords and fighting monsters, sounds like an action anime..."

Slowly getting to her feet Helen tried to figure out if she was still in her own dorm room. From the various male school uniforms laying on the floor she deduced she was not in fact in her own dorm room. Or chances were, her own dorm wing. Peering into the dark Helen tried to pin point the tell tale sliver of light that would mark the door to the hall. Upon spotting it she slide as carefully as she could to the door. Fumbling in the dark for the handle she accidentally hit the light switch.

Suddenly everything was illuminated. "Shit." Helen exclaimed.

"Who is there?" A familiar voice groggily asked.

"Deneve!" Helen nearly squealed with relief.

"Helen?" Deneve called back from the other side of the dorm room. "What are you doing in my room in the middle of the night?"

Turning Helen saw the upperclassman wade through the knee deep uniforms - which suddenly made sense, several of the girls at the Academy bugged the MIBs to lengthen the skirt length. In order to save money the school had let everyone decide which uniform they would wear; most girl keep the skirt but a few started wearing the trousers and tie get up.

Currently, Deneve was dressed in her pajamas, which consisted of a baggy T-shirt and sweatpants. Helen attempted not to think about what she was wearing underneath the baggy T-shirt, or how adorable Deneve looked running her hand through her hair. Rubbing the rheum from her eyes Deneve repeated her question. "So...?"

"I... Don't know..." Helen managed.

"You could have just asked if you wanted to talk."

"No, I mean I-" A rhymed clicking noise was heard.

"Sh!" Deneve hissed and suddenly Deneve pushed Helen against the wall and pressed her hand to her mouth, silencing her.

"Mmmmfth!" Helen exclaimed, (and tried again not think about how close their bodies were) but the upperclassman's odd movements were quickly explained.

A sharp rap came on the door from outside. "Number 15, Deneve, it's past lights out time." The soft yet threatening voice of their Prefect, Galatea, carried easily through the door.

"Sorry, Galatea, my feet were cold so I had to find a pair of socks." Deneve was as cool and collected as she always was, never mind the time of night. As per usual her manners were as crisp and refined as the collar on her shirt. Which, when Helen thought about, was an odd thing considering how messy Deneve's room appeared to be.

"I heard voices." The skepticism in her frown could be heard through the door.

"Are you implying you don't talk to yourself when your alone, Galatea-senpai?"

"Hmph." Galatea paused. "Very well then."

"I'll turn my lights back off as soon as I find a clean pair. Sorry to trouble you, senpai."

"Alright." Through the door Deneve and Helen heard the clicking noise – which they now recognized as the sound of Galatea's boots against the tiled hallway floor - faded off into the distance.

"Wow, see she really is God Eye Galatea, Deneve." Helen whispered through Deneve's hand.

Deneve nodded, but still didn't remove her hand from Helen's mouth as she stared intently at the door, straining her ears to make sure that Galatea's footsteps were gone. Finally satisfied that Galatea was gone Deneve took her hand from Helen's mouth, though the distance between the two was still very small. _Close enough to kiss_, Deneve thought, and then wondered where the thought had come from. Though the underclassmen was very cute...

"So what were you saying before about why you're in my room at this time of night?" Deneve asked.

"I'm so sorry Deneve-senpai it's just that..." Helen trailed off, she wasn't one to be embarrassed most of the time but sleep waking into someone else's dorm room – especially the room of the hot upperclassmen that she may or may not have been pining over since the start of the year and her arrival at Claymore Academy - at night wasn't exactly a normal occurrence for her. "Ummm, promise not to tell."

The stoic smiled faintly to reassure the underclassmen. "I promise."

"Well, I kinda have a sleepwalking problem." For the first time that Helen had seen Deneve cracked a grin. Not one of her faint smiles – which did not make Helen's heart flutter at all, by the way – but a full out grin. She even let out a small, deep chuckle that echoed through her chest.

"It's not funny!" Helen exclaimed.

Quickly Deneve regained her composure and returned to her normal state. "I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you, this is just a very strange and funny incident in general."

Helen blushed. "That's okay, Deneve-senpai."

"Ah! No need to call me senpai, Helen. You can just call me Deneve. Denev if you really like, I guess." Deneve smiled. _Gahhh,_Helen thought, _how can she be so charming even in the middle of the night?_

"Alright, Denev. Well, I best be going. Clare, my roommate, is probably worrying about me. I normally don't sleepwalk out of the room, just into a wall or something."

Deneve's eyes widen slightly. "Oh, no! You can't go out there! It's passed lights out time."

"Ummm, Denev, I'm pretty sure I've already broken the rules twice tonight, though both accidentally."

"Ah, no." Deneve amended her speech. "I mean Galatea is out there now. There's no way you should risk it. Even though your room is only eight doors down-" _She knows where my room is?_"You do not want to get caught by Galatea. I was once when I was a first year." Deneve shuddered at the memory.

"Well," Helen smiled. "I guess I'll just stay here then!"

"Yeah..." Deneve ran her left hand through her short hair again, thinking. Helen noticed that unlike other Claymore Academy students, she wore her identifying wristband on her left wrist.

"Why do you wear your wristband on your left wrist?" Helen asked curiously.

Deneve frowned. "I don't." Helen pointed to the wrist band on her wrist.

"Yes, you do."

"Ah," Realization filled Deneve's face. "That's not mine. See," She said holding up her right wrist to reveal a second wrist band. "This is mine."

"You have two wristbands?" Helen asked, confused.

Deneve's face darkened significantly. "It's my girlfriend's old wristband. She graduated last year."

Helen's mood fell, sure she was alone in Deneve's dorm room with her, but she was taken. _Curiosity killed the cat._

"Undine and I broke up shortly afterward though, couldn't make the college/high school and long distance relationship work out. There were other problems too. But I like to keep the wristband around. I'm over her, but... I don't know, the second wristband has become my thing on campus, plus I've just gotten used to it..."

Helen giggled the signature Helen laugh. _Curiosity killed the cat. But satisfaction brought it back_.

Deneve smiled sheepishly. "Strange, I know, but whatever. Anyway. You can have the bed."

"What?" Helen seemed to have lost Deneve trail of thought.

"The bed. You can have it tonight. I'm not going to make my guest sleep on the floor. Even if chances are she'll just walk right out of it anyway."

"Ah. Where will you sleep?"

"On, the floor. I'll be fine. Really." Deneve reassured her guest and turned to clear a small hole in the mounds of laundry, dirty and clean, on her floor. "I'll just take one of the sheets and one of the pillows." She said as she grabbed them from the bed, which surprisingly looked far too well kept for Deneve to have just rolled out of it. "There, all yours, Helen." Deneve motioned at the bed.

"Oh, alright." Helen nodded as she climbed into the single bed. With a click Deneve turned the lights back off. "Good night, Deneve."

"More like, good morning." Helen laughed and snuggled into the covers. Far too cold for Deneve to have been sleeping in just moments before, she noticed. From the bed Helen heard the sound of Deneve lightly padding across the room and settling into the cocoon of clothes and sheets she had made herself on the floor.

2:37 The red flashing lights of Deneve's digital alarm clock read.

2:38. Helen shifted trying to find a more comfortable position in fall asleep in. Deneve sighed.

2:39 Deneve readjusted her sheets.

2:40 "Why don't you sleep in your bed?" Helen asked, already knowing that Deneve was still awake.

"It's too comfortable. I'm used to sleeping on the floor."

2:41 _What if Galatea comes back to check on me?_Deneve thought. _Helen will obviously get in trouble for spending the night in my room then. And she's in plain view on the bed from the door, too. Think Deneve think._

2:42 _Gaah,_Helen thought, _I hope Deneve doesn't think I'm some wimpy first year who can't even sneak back to her room properly. And she's so nice, letting me sleep in her bed, even if she doesn't sleep there normally. I wonder where she sleeps normally?_

2:43 _Maybe if I were to sleep in the bed with Helen, then if Galatea came back to check on me she'd only see me in the bed from the door and Helen won't get in trouble. But what if Helen gets the wrong idea. I'm not even interested in her like that... Though now that I think of it... Oh, what the hell._

2:44 _Fuck it all._"Helen, can I sleep next to you?" _There are no alternative motives here. I am not just wanting to sleep by this cute little first year. Nope. No motives at all._

Beneath the covers Helen blushed, unknown to her temporary roommate, but giggled. "What is the big bad upperclassmen afraid of the dark? Had a bad dream?"

"Helen!" Deneve growled in exasperation.

"Of course you can sleep in your own bed silly, Denev."

Slowly in the dark Deneve climbed into the far side of the bed, slipping under the covers. "There." Helen said. "All better."

Deneve would have growled in exasperation again but it had been a while since she had shared a bed with another human, and well it was actually nice. The bed was small and Deneve was forced to cuddle up close to Helen – not that either of them seemed to mind.

Semi-consciously Helen aligned her breaths to the deep breaths of Deneve behind her. "You sure this is alright with you?" Deneve asked, ever the polite one. At the whisper in her ear Helen nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Yeah, this is fine. More than fine." Helen breathed out.

Comforted that her bed-mate wasn't uncomfortable Deneve moved a little closer to Helen, so they were sharing the same pillow. Upon closing her eyes Deneve fell asleep almost instantaneously, with a smile on her face.

…...

When she woke up the next morning Deneve smiled at the sight of her sleeping bed companion. Sometime during the few hours of the night Helen had turned from laying on her back to facing Deneve. Her arms were wrapped around Deneve's waist as if she was a giant teddy bear. In turn Deneve found she had slung an arm over Helen protectively.

Gently Deneve eased herself out of Helen's grip as to not wake her and, checking the clock found she had enough time to get to the shower before morning breakfast. Grabbing one of her clean uniforms from the floor, Deneve scribbled a quick note to Helen just in case she woke before she returned from the upperclassmen bathroom at the end of the Pieta wing.

After showering Deneve rushed back to her dorm room to find that she didn't need to, and that Helen, was in fact still sleeping through her comings and goings of the morning. Deciding it was time to wake Helen, before she sleepwalked into someone else's room, Deneve gently shook Helen's shoulder.

"Just... Five more minutes, Clare." She muttered.

"Time to wake up, Helen." Deneve faintly smiled.

"Three more minutes, Clare." Helen mumbled.

"You're adorable when you're sleepy, Helen."

"Dwhat?" Helen raised her head above the covers. "Oh, Deneve. Hi. Tell Clare to give me two more minutes." She burrowed underneath the covers again.

Sighing Deneve apologized in advance. "Sorry about this, Helen." Ripping the covers off the sleeping Claymore.

"Cold!" Helen shot up. "Ah, Deneve! What are you doing in my dorm room?"

Deneve chuckled. "You're the one in my dorm room, and my bed, remember?"

"Oh, yeah... Sleepwalked in here, didn't I..." Helen trailed off, for only then did she realized how her host was dressed. Deneve was wearing her school uniform, or at least the start of it. Her collared shirt was not yet tucked in nor fully buttoned, only two buttons in the center were buttoned revealing a pale, yet toned abdomen and a bit cleavage. The tie hung slackly around Deneve's neck and was yet to be fully tied. Her hair was also still wet from the shower, and when she shook her head – like a dog, Helen noted amused – water flew from it and the ends spiked up. Deneve was a hot mess.

Amused Deneve caught Helen staring, and might have said something of it if a sharp knock on the door didn't interrupt them. "Number 16. Deneve. It's almost breakfast, you coming?" A voice from outside the door asked.

"Hall Monitor!" Helen panicked.

Deneve smiled. "It's fine. That's not Galatea, you're safe." Opening the door Deneve greeted Miria.

"Hey, Miria." She nodded.

"You coming to breakfast like that, girl?" Miria asked, commenting on Deneve's half dressed nature.

"I just came back from the showers." Deneve explained.

"Ah, alright then. I'll wait for you while you finish getting ready." Miria said as she stepped into the dorm room.

"Alright." Deneve ducked out of the main room and into the bathroom. (Upperclassmen got private toilets and sinks in their rooms, but had to go to the wing bathroom to shower)

It was only after she closed the door behind her that Miria noticed Helen sitting on Deneve's bed. "And who do we have here? Wait let me try to remember... Number 22? A first year?"

Helen blushed but nodded. "Helen." She introduced herself.

"Well, I'm Miria. You probably just know me as the scary Hall Patrolling upperclassmen. Sorry if I've every caused you trouble, but it's my job. I'll remember that you're a _friend_" Miria put a little extra emphasis on the word friend, but nothing too much. "Of my Deneve here, and in the future I'll cut you some slack." Miria smiled.

"Good to meet you." Helen nodded.

Then Deneve came back into the room and grabbed her jacket off her desk. "Shall we go, Deneve?" Miria asked. Deneve half nodded and looked at Miria then at Helen. Some unspoken agreement was reached between the two and Miria said she's wait outside.

"Alright, time to go Miss Sleepwalker. Back to your dorm room you go." Placing a light kiss on Helen's forehead Deneve pushed the still dazed first year out of her dorm room. "I trust you don't need me to walk you down to you room." Deneve nodded at Helen.

"Off you go now, 22." Miria smiled at Helen.

...

(extra scene)

Walking down the hall with a dazed expression on her face Helen arrived at her dorm door. Knocking on the door Helen called to have her roommate let her in. "Clare! Comeon! Open the door."

Clare opened the door fully dressed in her uniform. Before she could ask. Helen interrupted as she walked in the door. "You'll never guess what happened last night!"

"Yeah, where were you last night, Helen? Did you sleepwalk into the West wing again? You're not in trouble, right?"

"Far from it." Helen giggled. "I accidentally sleepwalked into Deneve's room!"

"Deneve?" Another voice from the room asked. Helen froze in her tracks.

"Oh, hey Jean." Helen said, thoroughly surprised by the upperclassmen, Number 9, Jean's appearance in her room.

"G'morning." Jean yawned as she walked over from Clare's bed to the doorway where Clare and Helen where standing. "What were you doing in Deneve's room last- _Yawn!_ - night?"

"I, ummm, sleepwalked into her room on accident. I-I-I sleepwalk."

"Ah." Jean nodded as she wrapped and arm around Clare's waist and gently kissed the younger and shorter girl's forehead.

"Ahhh..." Helen trailed off a little lost for words. "This sure happened overnight..."

"Yeah..." Clare nodded.

"I suddenly feel as if the fact that I slept in Deneve's bed last night doesn't even hold a candle to what happened between you two last night..."

**Anyway. Here's where I drew my inspiration for the Claymore male uniforms. Go and be a rapid fan and love this.****.**

http:/ i15 . photobucket . com/albums/a396/sharikqah/Walls/ClaymoreDogs1 . gif

**You know the drill. Review.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Beginning

Chapter 2: Beginning

"Dish." Miria ordered Deneve.

"Pass the eggs, please." Deneve politely asked Veronica who was sitting to her left, at the breakfast table. Elsewhere in the cafeteria people hustled in and out of the food line as groups sat leisurely at their tables. Occasionally a few students would wander in and out, but the majority of the student body was milling around with their friends, the threat of the morning bell still far away. Also at Miria's table were other upperclassmen friends. Flora, Lily, Hilda, and the group's oddball Rafaela, who had lost her eye in a freak accident and had a bizarre scar across her face; which - if anything - made for a good party story.  
>"What's this?" Cynthia asked as she pulled up to the group with Uma and Tabitha in tow.<p>

"Deneve's refusing to tell us why there was a cute little first year in her dorm this morning." Miria informed Cynthia. Deneve ignored the conversation about her as she dished out her breakfast.

"Come _on,_ Deneve." Flora whined, almost teasing. "We're dyeing to know - you've got to tell us."

Miria held her plate out menacingly - or at least as menacingly as a plate can be. She repeated herself. "Dish, _Den-den._" Deneve looked sparingly up at Miria, only slightly annoyed at the nickname. For a brief second their eyes lock and then Deneve looked away and shoveled a mound of scrambled eggs onto Miria's plate.

"That enough?" Deneve asked blankly. Miria stared back, slightly dumbstruck.

The table was silent for a moment, until a small trickle of giggles escaped from Tabitha. She immediately clamped her mouth shut when Miria turned towards her. Tabitha looked slightly fearful of Miria, but she was also blushing. Everyone at the table knew, except for Miria (well, maybe even Miria) that Tabitha was harboring an ill-concealed crush for Miria. There was a slight tension in the air.

Miria flashed a brilliant smile (and probably blinding, to Tabitha) across the table. Instantly everyone relaxed, and some joined in at laughing at Deneve's and Miria's expense.

Miria was the queen of the group of friends, if not her entire graduating class. Her approval was sought by many, and not to mention she had her fair share of admirers at Claymore Academy. And though she was like a big sister to most of the friends in the group, disapproval, though often well-meant, was harsh.  
>"You could at least tell us about her, Denev." Tabitha murmured as the table fell quite again. Signing Deneve looked up and Tabitha's puppy eye, <em>God dammit<em>. Deneve had no idea how Miria could resist Tabitha's puppy eyes, but when she started staring at you with those big doe eyes there was nothing Deneve could do to resist her friends pleas. In fact, Deneve had got into trouble on several occasion because of Tabitha. This case was no different.

"Well," Deneve started, much to Tabitha's glee and the entire tables amusement. "She's got shortish hair, an adorable grin, and about 175 cm."  
>Tabitha laughed at Deneve's description. "You make it sound like you're reading off her stats from a milk carton or something." Miria raised an eye at Tabitha's strange analogue, which sent Tabitha into hiding behind her food. Seriously, everyone knew of Tabitha's infatuation with Miria except Miria it seemed.<p>

"Number 22." Miria supplied, much to Deneve's discord.

"Miria!" Deneve exclaimed and elbowed Miria in the rib. Since Miria was tough as steel, a fact that both of the friends knew, she didn't even flinch.

"Number 22?" Uma, the quietest of the table asked. "She's in my year. H-Helen. Clare's her roommate. T-They're just down the hall from me."  
>Veronica piped up at this point. "Clare? You mean number 47, the lowest ranking first year."<p>

"I heard that there's a 48 this year, goes by the name of Clarice. Mop of brown hair. She probably only got in because one of the MIB's protégé kid, Miata follows her around everywhere."

"Wasn't Jean sweet on her?" Hilda slyly asked Miria, her long time friend.

"Clarice or Miata? Why would Jean like a nine year old for bloody sakes?" Miria asked.

"No." Replied Hilda quietly, slightly exasperated at Miria's ploy. "I mean doesn't Jean like-"  
>At that moment the other serious short haired upperclassmen of the troup decided to butt in out of nowhere. "Good morning." Jean grinned at Miria. "Speak of the devil, eh."<p>

"Quite." Miria agreed, to Hilda slight embarrassment.

"Mornin' Denev." Jean called out to Deneve on the other side of the table.

"Hey." Deneve greeted Jean. "Where were you last night?" Though both Jean and Denev were upperclassmen and had their own rooms, it was widely agreed by everyone at the table that the two were basically inseparable and unofficial roommates from the amount of time they spent in each other's dorms. Though there had been rumors after Deneve and Undine's break up that _something_ went on between Deneve and Jean, neither denied or confirmed anything. They were so similar, it was hard to imagine for the friends - both of them stubborn, loyal, short haired dykes. Some days they would even finished each other sentences and phrases.

"Let me guess." Deneve said, before Jean answer. "Did we switch-"

"-Roommates?" Jean finish for her.

"I guessed correct?"

"So I heard."

Slowly, with an unreadable stone-faced expression on her face Deneve raised one eyebrow.

Across the table Jean mirrored Number 15's actions. Grinning slightly, completely understanding her friend, Deneve raised the egg platter, which had earlier been used as a weapon. "Eggs?"

"Thanks." Jean took the platter and began to dig in.

"Oh, what happened last night?" Veronica pressed. Jean calmly looked at the table, who were all appearing to be hanging on her every word, saturated in suspense.

"Well," Jean started, but then someone caught her eye as she turned towards the Pieta Wing entrance. "Clare!" She called happily, waved the first year over to their table. Deneve noticed in a bit of dread and giddy anticipation that Helen accompanied her roommate towards the table.

"Hi Jean." Clare greeted the upperclassmen, her hand brushing lightly against Jean's shoulder as she stood awkwardly next to the table. Briefly looking around the table she greeted those that she recognized. "Mornin' Tabitha. Cynthia. Oh, hey Uma. Deneve. Miria." She stopped at Miria, the leader of the group. Miria glanced at Jean, nodding her approval.

Jean leaned back in her seat, to grab a spare chair for Clare. "Have a seat." Jean also took Clare's food tray and gently set it next to her. Jean glanced up at the other first year who was awkwardly standing. "You too Helen." Jean smiled warmly, but didn't grab a chair for Helen, that was obviously a special privilege only Clare was entitled to.

Helen awkwardly, but cheerfully pulled up a chair between Tabitha and Cynthia. She grinned ear to ear as she set down her own food tray, which was piled high with apples and cheese slices. Deneve seemed the only one intrigued by Helen's food choice.  
>As breakfast progressed Deneve watched with interest as Helen ate. Her attention was hardly unnoticed by Number 22, who would return a glance or two every few seconds, but the rest of the table had moved on from grilling Deneve to observing the new couple at the table. Helen seemed at home at the table already, smiling and already poking fun at Clare. She was the type who could adapt to just about any environment, Deneve noted as she studied Helen.<p>

Turning her study from the person to the meal Deneve watched as Helen carefully layered the apple with her slices of cheese. Taking the cheese covered apple Helen would bite into it, her teeth being met with a solid crunch. This would repeat until Helen was done with one apple, and then she would start the process over with another apple. It was a fascinating way to eat apples Deneve thought, and an unusual breakfast.

Finished the last apple, after gnawing it down to a mere core Helen tossed the apple core to Deneve. The short haired Claymore caught it easily with a single fluid swoop of her hand. "What is this, apple number five?" Deneve teased, lightly tossing the apple core in her hand.

"You know, I'm one of the few people in this academy that actually eats well. Everyone else is too caught up in their studies. Besides, you know there's a difference between eating simply so you won't pass out in Chem class and actually enjoying eating. Eating allows you to free your mind of everyday worries." Deneve tossed the apple core back at Helen, who caught it just as easily as the older Claymore.

Helen sparred Deneve a coquettishly sly smile as she continued. She crunched the remaining bits of the apple, core and all one last time, the crispy fruit breaking under her teeth. "Eating an apple really makes you feel alive, doesn't it?"

"Nothing like a fresh apple in the morning then?"

Helen scoffed playfully. "As if these apples are fresh. Besides, I could think of much more entertaining things to do in the morning."  
>"Ah huh." Deneve agreed, and played along with Helen. To anyone else Helen's flirting might have come on a little strong, but as Deneve studied Helen more she realized this was partly a defense mechanism.<p>

Her grin, her smile, her flirtatious words. They were all part of a defense facade. Deneve has just witnessed Helen without her facade the previous night, skittish and afraid, with a secret to hid. She had embarrassed easily, but even then at automatically used humor as a buttress.

It intrigued Deneve more than the libidinous undertone the Helen's voice caught whenever eyes linger too long on either side. This cute little first year certainly had caught Deneve's attention.

The morning bell brought Deneve out of her thoughts harshly, jerking her back to her now cooling remains of breakfast. She glanced around the table as chairs began squeaking from being pushed aside. As she tossed the remains in the trash can on her way out she felt herself being pulled aside by a certain pine tree haired blond. Miria. Waving a quick good-bye to everyone at the table she quickly retreated outside of the cafeteria with Miria.

"What's up with space cadet mode?" Miria asked as they cleared the threshold. Though Deneve admired her friend and recognized her as her superior, Miria had her moments.

"I was thinking." Deneve answer honestly and shortly, as per usual.

"About a certain first year." The two Claymore's looked at each other, and both nodded. Neither of the friends were a type to waste time or words. "Do you like her?"

"There are things I like about her." Deneve answered.

Miria rolled her eyes at the statement. "Good lord, Den, don't be so uptight. Do you like her?"

"There are things I like about her." Deneve repeated.

Emotionless, Miria raised an eyebrow at Deneve. "Come on, Deneve. You've been single ever since you and Und-"

Deneve cut her off. "I'm not looking for a rebound."

"And I wasn't suggesting it. Even I feel like a hypocrite telling you this, but you've go to loosen up some."

A ghost of a smile graced Deneve's lips. "Just like you and Galatea loosen up sometimes?" She knew that she was stepping in dangerous waters, but as two of the more serious of the Claymores, the friends found they could let down a little of their guard around each other.

"Galatea and I are different." Miria darkly chided.

"Yes, yes, because you two are exes there's a guaranteed no strings attached policy."

"Deneve." Miria warned. Both knew that to the group as a whole Miria's love life was a conversation no-no, but alone it was another matter.

"You leave me to mine, I'll leave you to yours."

The bell rung again, signaling the two minute warning before class started. "You've got to get to Chem." Deneve reminded the spiky hair warmly. Miria nodded, reassured by Deneve's tone. The two friends were still good, but neither like people prying into their lives. Miria turned away Deneve as they each hurried to their first hours of the day.

**Just working on setting the background and characterization in this chapter. More familiar faces to show up next chapter. Though this story will be Deneve/Helen centric there will be lots of appearances and characterizations of other familiar Claymores.**

**And yes, Jean and Deneve totally have a lesbromance. Admit it, it would be completely possible if Jean had survived Pieta.**

**Feel free to drop me a review.**


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